Portable fire-box partition for furnaces, boilers, ranges, &amp;c.



P ATENTED MAY 26, 1908.

' D. MASON.

ARTITION FOR FURNACES, BOILERS, RANGES, 6w.

PORTABLE FIRE BOX P APPLIGATION FILED JUNE 27, 1907.

INVENTOR THE NORRIS PETERS 50., WASHINGTON, DAG.

onirsn STATES I TENT' OFFICE.

MAY MASON, OF EAST PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

PORTABLE FIRE-BOX PARTITION FOR FURNACES, BOILERS, RANGES, 860.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MAY D. MASON, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of East Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Portable Fire-Box Partitions for Furnaces, Boilers, Ranges, &c., of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in the fire-boxes of kitchen-ranges, boilers, and analogous fuel-burning apparatus, and it consists essentially of a light, portable partition member of suitable material adapted to be removably mounted and concealed in the usual fire-box and to rest upon and be supported by the grate.

It further consists in providing the partiti on member with means whereby it is capable of being readily elongated and contracted in a lateral direction at will so as to adapt it to fire-boxes varying in width.

The primary object sought to be attained in the device forming the subject of the present application for patent is to produce a portable casting or filling-in member adapted to be located in the fire-box so as to n1aterially reduce the cubical volume of the box, while at the same time leaving free and unobstructed a portion of the grate and box in which say a coal fire may be readily made and maintained and utilized for heating, culinary operations, &c., in substantially the same manner (but obviously to a lesser extent) as though the partition were absent.

It is well known that at certain seasons of the year, as for example, during the fall and spring months, it frequently happens that the heat from the furnace becomes unduly oppressive because the fire cannot be kept normally alive unless the proper depth or bed of fuel upon the grate be maintained. This obviously results in a corresponding waste of fuel. In the kitchen, too, the cook often has occasion to use a small fire in the range in lieu of a heavy one, that is if oven-cooking is not wanted.

By means of this invention the presence of the partition in the fire-box in no wise detracts from the normal draft, &c., and permits a proper thickness of burning fuel upon the portion of the grate not covered by the partition member, and a consequent saving in fuel, all as more fully hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying sheet of drawings,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 27, 1907.

Patented May 26, 1908.

Serial No. 381,044.

Figure 1 represents a perspective view of my improved portable partition device for fireboxes. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken through line 2 2 of the upper flange of the casting, and Fig. 3 is asectional view, in reduced scale, taken through the fire-box of a cookingrange, and showing my improved device normally positioned therein.

A, again referring to the drawings, designates the improved portable partition as a whole. I prefer to provide the same with upper and bottom plates or flanges, a a respectively, and the vertically arranged plate o integral with and uniting the said members, a a In order to stiffen the device an integral vertical rib 01 may be employed. The device may be made of cast iron or other suitable fire-resisting substance, as for example, fire-clay.

The width of the partition A may be slightly less than the fire-box, its lower plate when in use being adapted to rest flatwise upon the grate. The upper plate I prefer to dispose at an inclined angle, thus forming a beveled surface for conducting the coal or fuel downwardly to the adjacent uncovered portion of the grate and fire-box. The side plate a may extend upwardly at an inclination, substantially as indicated in Fig. 3.

In order to render the partition A adjustable in a lateral direction, within certain limits, the same is provided with a laterally slidable extension member consisting of "the joined upper and vertical plates 1) b forming an angle with each other and bearing loosely upon the corresponding plates a and (L as clearly shown in Fig. 1. About midway of the outer edge of each of the plates 1) b and integral therewith is formed on its under side an elongated parallel narrow lug or dog 0 arranged to form a narrow U-shaped opening a to freely receive the adjacent portion of the respective plates (1, a

Assuming now the device A to be employed in the fire-box of a cooking-range, see Fig. 3, the manner of positioning and operating the same may be stated substantially as follows: The top hole-covers n n and bridge n of the range are first removed, followed by placing the device in the box, its lower flange a then resting flatwise upon the top of the grate g; at the same time the extension member b is moved endwise or laterally in the proper direction, as the case may be, thereby practically filling the corresponding part of the box transversely, and

then replacing said top members at n of the range.

As drawn, it will be seen that the normal fire-box and grate surfaces will have been reduced about 50 per cent. by the introduction of the portable partition or device A. The uncovered portion of the grate then'being available for making and. carrying a fire thereon. By inserting a hook or poker in the small hole h the device may be readily removed from the fire-box.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent, is

1. As an improved article'of manufacture a portable partition of the character de scribed, consisting of a pair of substantially flat top and bottom plates or flanges, a vertically extending side or end wall integral therewith and uniting said plate members, and a strengthening rib disposed between the plates.

2. The portable integral partition of the character herein described, the same comprising a flat bottom member a adapted to rest u on the grate of the fire-box, a side or end p ate 00 extending vertically from the bottom member at an inclined angle, and a top plate or flange at extending rearwardly and upwardly at an angle from said member (1 substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a portable partition for fire-boxes, the combination of the one-piece main member proper having integral top, bottom and side walls, the top wall being imperforate and adapted when in use to extend materially above the top of the fire on the grate, and an independently movable or telescoping narrow member operatively connected with said main member for varying the width of the device in a transverse direction, substantially as described.

Signed at Providence, R. 1., this 26th day of June, 1907.

' MAY D. MASON. Witnesses:

HENRY P. STONE, GEO. H. REMINGTON. 

